The Kansas City Royals traded top prospect Wil Myers and three other minor-leaguers to the Tampa Bay Rays for major-league pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis.

In addition to Myers — rated by many as the top offensive player in the minor leagues this year — the Royals gave up RHP Jake Odorizzi, who started two games for Kansas City this year, LHP Mike Montgomery and 3B Patrick Leonard. In addition to Shields and Davis, the Royals will receive a player to be named or cash.

Shields didn’t play in the Midwest League, but four of the other five players involved in the trade did, and the fifth probably will next year.

Wade Davis started 27 games for the 2006 Southwest Michigan Devil Rays, who played their home games at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek, Michigan. He went 7-12 with a 3.02 ERA and 165 strikeouts in 146 IP. (After that season, the Battle Creek franchise moved to Midland, Michigan, and became the Great Lakes Loons.)

Odorizzi started 20 of the 23 games he pitched in for the 2010 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. He posted a 7-3 record with a 3.43 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 120.2 IP for the Milwaukee Brewers farm club. The Brewers dealt him to the Royals as part of the Zack Greinke trade in December 2010.

Montgomery started 12 games for the 2009 Burlington Bees, going 2-3 with a 2.17 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 58 IP.

The 2012 season was Leonard’s first in professional baseball. He hit .251 with 14 HR and 46 RBI in 62 games with the Burlington Royals of the rookie-level Appalachian League. Now that he’s been traded to the Rays organization, Leonard likely will play with the Bowling Green Hot Rods next year.

Thanks for the links, Mike. I never saw a Midwest League game in Battle Creek, but I hope to catch some Northwoods League action there sometime when I’m in Michigan to see the Loons, Lugnuts or Whitecaps.